TOPEKA, Kan. – Canadian Top Alcohol Dragster racer Gord Gingles stayed hot at the WIBW Thunder in the Heartland NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Heartland Park Topeka, and in Top Alcohol Funny Car, Jay Payne, one of the most prolific drivers in divisional/regional history, may have turned his season around with his first victory in 10 starts.

Gingles, who drove "The Bull" A/Fueler to a tight final-round decision over defending national champ Jim Whiteley last week in Brainerd for his first national event win, got off the line first and pounded out low e.t. of the meet – 5.354, a slight improvement on his 5.358 semifinal time – to put away Randy Meyer this time in a final-round battle of the top two drivers in the region in 2012.

Gingles qualified No. 1 with a 5.40 and clocked a 5.43 in the first round against veteran Edwin Schmeeckle. He stepped up to a 5.358, low e.t. of the weekend to that point, in the semifinals against John Finke, which cost Finke the East Region title. Dan Page, who was upset in the first round in Bowling Green this weekend after setting top speed in qualifying, won the East championship on the strength of one win (Maple Grove) and three final-round appearances.

Competing at his home track, Meyer, of Spring Hill, Kan., began eliminations from the No. 3 spot (5.44) and was the picture of consistency all weekend, running between 5.42 and 5.46 in all three rounds of eliminations. His 5.45 took out Christine Chambless in the opening round, and a 5.42, his best run of the weekend, was just enough to get past quick-leaving James Stevens' 5.50 by three-thousandths of a second in the semi's.

In the Top Alcohol Funny Car final, Payne beat early leader John Lombardo, 5.67 to 5.80, with a half-tenth edge in the first 60 feet, .976 to 1.024. Payne's Peak/FireIce Mustang got quicker every trip to the starting line all weekend, opening with a 5.80 in the first qualifying session and running nothing but high 5.60s the rest of the way, including a 5.69 for the No. 2 spot behind Lombardo.

Payne picked up a hundredth of a second to oust Lance Van Hauen in the first round with a 5.68 and another hundredth to beat red-lighting Kris Hool in the semi's with a 5.67, making it an all-California final against Lombardo, who ran in the 5.60s in both qualifying sessions and in every round but the final.

Lombardo beat Steve Griboski in the opening round, 5.67 to 5.88, and defending Central Region champ Kirk Williams, who had a .008 reaction time, in the semi's, 5.68 to 5.82. With the final-round appearance, Lombardo's NAPA team moved into the national points lead when Tony Bartone, in his first race in Mickey Ferro's car after splitting with longtime team owner Rick Jackson, was a victim of the abbreviated two-shot qualifying format and failed to qualify.

Two other Kansas racers advanced to the final round as Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., faced off with Bruno Massel in Comp Eliminator and Larry Piper, Wamego, Kan., meet up with Rodney Frazier in the Division's Fineline / Madcap Top Dragster class. Patterson fell to the quicker Massel, Woodbridge, Ill., who ran 7.064 seconds at 183.77 mph and Piper went down to Rodney Frazier, Sand Springs, Okla., who clocked in at 7.009 at 188.31.

Many of these racers will head to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals this weekend, Aug. 28 – Sept. 2. Next up for the NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is Tri-State Raceway, Earlville, Iowa, Sept. 6-8.

The West Central division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is back in action the following weekend, Sept. 6-8 at Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Iowa.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Heartland Park Topeka:

TOPEKA, Kan. – NHRA West Central division racers converged on Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series WIBW Thunder in the Heartland event. The event is the fifth of six events that run through September where competitors will earn points toward both national and divisional championships.

Racers in ten different classes along with the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson made qualifying and time trial runs today with eliminations in all classes scheduled for Saturday. The Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars made a pair of qualifying runs and head into eliminations with round 1 at 5 p.m. Saturday evening. The division's Fineline Madcap Top Dragsters and Jerry Haas Racecars Top Sportsman are also in action this weekend with a final qualifying pass Saturday morning before beginning eliminations.

Gates open Saturday at 7 a.m. with final racing scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Tickets are $15 on Sunday for adults, children 4-12 are $5 and kids 3 and under are free with a paid adult. For more information please call the track, (800) 43-RACES, or visit www.HPT.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, West Central Division WIBW Thunder in the Heartland at Heartland Park Topeka:

TOPEKA, Kan. - WIBW Thunder in the Heartland takes place August 23-24 at Heartland Park Topeka. The event is one of six in the NHRA West Central division and one of 44 scheduled across the country where drivers earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division's Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, Fineline Madcap Top Dragster Series and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also run in conjunction with the event.

Gates at Heartland Park open at 7 a.m. both days. Qualifying and time trials start Friday at 9 a.m. and continue Saturday at 8 a.m. Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Comp Eliminator will have two qualifying runs starting at 3:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. on Friday and one session on Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have two qualifying session on Friday starting at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Eliminations start at noon on Saturday. Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car will run first round at 5 p.m.

Tickets for the Thunder in the Heartland event are $15 Friday and $15 Saturday. Children 4-12 are just $5 and kids 3 and under are free. All tickets include a pit pass.

Heartland Park is located at 7530 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66619. For more information call the track, (800) 43-RACES, or visit www.HPT.com.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet

WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series the fifth of six events in West Central Division competition where drivers earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division's Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, Fineline/Madcap Top Dragster Series and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also run in conjunction with the event.

SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, Aug. 23 - Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Comp Eliminator, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster qualifying starts at 3:45 and 6:15 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying begins at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, Aug. 24 - Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials are scheduled at 8 a.m. Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Comp Eliminator final qualifying start at 10:30 a.m. with round 1 at noon. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car final run round one of eliminations begin at 5 p.m. TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS – $15 Friday, $15 Saturday. Children 4-12 are just $5 each day and kids 3 and under admitted free with paid adult. Free pit pass with admission. For more information please call Heartland Park, (800) 43-RACES or visit www.HPT.com

BONUS PROGRAMS:NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND: a $519,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional, regional and national champions. Regional awards include $10,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions with Divisional awards of $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.

JEGS ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $119,000 point fund from Jegs High Performance. The 2014 Jegs Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes as well as Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2014 Jegs Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.

The winning division and regional teams will share $25,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, $5,000 to Top Sportsman and Top Dragster champions, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $25,000 towing fund to get to the event.

Event sponsor, Jegs High Performance, is offering a "double up" bonus to Jegs Allstars participants. Any 2013 Jegs Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.

AEROMOTIVE LOW QUALIFIER BONUS: A $3,000 bonus fund paid to the low qualifiers in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator at each of the division's six races. The best qualifying driver in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock will each get $200 per event, while the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator will get $100 per race.

JERRY HAAS RACE CARS TOP SPORTSMAN SERIES presented by Aeromotive: The Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division's Top Sportsman class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions' purse posted by Jerry Haas Race Cars will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

FINELINE GRAPHICS & MADCAP RACING ENGINES TOP DRAGSTER SERIES: The West Central Division Top Dragster Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division's Top Dragster class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions' purse will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

NHRA SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE SERIES presented by HARLEY-DAVIDSON: The NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in NHRA's Sportsman Motorcycle class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $14,000 champions' purse posted by Harley Davidson will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers in NHRA divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycles.